On-Board Software Version Consistency Checks for Vehicle Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems face the risk of unexpected vehicle control due to inconsistent software versions among on-board devices, as confirming dependency relations during updates may not be sufficient to prevent such occurrences.

Innovation Solution

An on-board device system that confirms software consistency by acquiring and comparing software versions with a pre-stored consistency table, and if inconsistencies are found, it transmits version information to an external server for a secondary check, allowing for accurate determination and updating of software versions to ensure consistency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If software version confirmation is performed only during update using dependency relation checks, then update process simplicity is maintained, but software consistency reliability is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoftware consistency reliabilityVSAvoidsoftware confirmation process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing consistency tables that define correct software version combinations before actual software updates occur. During updates, the system checks against these pre-prepared tables rather than performing complex real-time dependency analysis, thus improving reliability while maintaining process simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring software versions on-board devices and comparing them against stored consistency tables. When inconsistencies are detected, the system provides feedback to identify which devices have incorrect versions and guides their correction, ensuring reliable software consistency through continuous verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If comprehensive software version checking is performed across all on-board devices, then software consistency reliability is improved, but system complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoftware consistency reliabilityVSAvoidsoftware confirmation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Consistency tables defining correct software version combinations are pre-stored in the system before updates occur. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time analysis across all devices, allowing rapid verification against predetermined correct states while maintaining comprehensive checking coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses copied consistency information from pre-stored tables rather than performing original complex analysis during updates. By referencing these pre-computed consistency tables, the system achieves comprehensive software version verification across all devices without incurring the full processing time cost of real-time dependency analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If software updates are performed without pre-confirmation of consistency, then update speed is maintained, but unexpected vehicle control may occur due to version inconsistency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupdate speedVSAvoidunexpected vehicle control risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary checks by comparing device software versions against pre-stored consistency tables before updates are applied. This preliminary verification identifies potential inconsistencies in advance, allowing the system to prevent harmful version mismatches while maintaining fast update execution by using simple table lookups rather than complex analysis during the actual update process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4033351B1Vehicle control system and method for confirming software consistency
Publication Date: 2024.01.03 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4033351B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4033351B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4033351B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A specific on-board device, that is any one of a plurality of on-board devices, is configured to acquire the versions of software included in other on-board devices when the power source of a vehicle is turned on. The specific on-board device determines whether or not the versions of the software of all the on-board devices that constitute a vehicle control system are consistent, by comparing the version of the software of the specific on-board device and the versions of the software acquired from the other on-board devices with first consistency information prestored.